What the Parent Readiness Test measures and what it does not.

What is evidence and guidance

We used U.S. public guidance and peer-reviewed research on advance care planning, emergency preparedness, caregiving, financial protection and aging in place to identify seven areas families may need to consider. Sources were selected for relevance to the topic, not because they produced or endorsed ParentReady.

Research on validated caregiver preparedness scales supports preparedness as a meaningful construct for people already providing care. ParentReady asks a different question before a major care need necessarily exists. We did not copy those scales, and their validation results do not transfer to our assessment.

What is proprietary

ParentReady’s wording, response model, domain weights, attention flags, overall score and prioritization logic are our own methodology. They have not yet been psychometrically or clinically validated. The score is a structured conversation starter, not a prediction of health outcomes, caregiving burden or crisis risk.

How the score works

The initial 13 questions use a response scale from 0 to 3. Within each area, we average the responses and convert them to a score out of 100. The overall result is the rounded weighted average of those area scores.

• Conversations & wishes: 18% of the overall score
• Health & care information: 15% of the overall score
• Legal & decision readiness: 17% of the overall score
• Financial continuity: 14% of the overall score
• Emergency response: 16% of the overall score
• Home & daily safety: 10% of the overall score
• Your support capacity: 10% of the overall score

The lowest-scoring areas appear first. A first-option response can flag something worth clarifying; it is not a diagnosis. Strong areas receive maintenance guidance. These weights are design choices, not estimates of medical risk.

Complete adds 22 contextual questions to adapt the plan. They do not change the initial score. Family keeps each parent’s profile separate; the initial “both parents” snapshot should not be treated as two individual assessments.

Question-to-source map

This map shows why a topic is included. It does not mean a source supports the wording, answer options, weight or score assigned by ParentReady.

Evidence register

Evidence register reviewed September 14, 2026. Source inclusion does not imply endorsement. Guidance is U.S.-oriented and may not reflect every state’s laws or every family’s circumstances.

Validation status and next steps

Version 1.0 has content traceability and automated scoring tests, but it has not completed cognitive interviewing, test-retest analysis, factor analysis, reliability estimation or outcome validation. Those steps require a defined study protocol, an appropriate sample and independent methodological review.

Until that work is complete, ParentReady will describe the test as evidence-informed, not scientifically validated or clinically validated. Scores must not be interpreted as probabilities of a crisis or predictions of health, safety or caregiver outcomes.

Privacy & safety

Responses are used to calculate and save your result and improve the assessment. Do not enter medical records, account numbers or other sensitive details. If someone is in immediate danger, call 911. For legal, medical, financial or safety decisions, consult an appropriately qualified professional.